Refuse vehicle having tailgate-mounted CNG tanks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9579969-B2
Application number	US-201514807805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2015
Priority date	Jul 25, 2014
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A refuse vehicle includes a chassis having an engine, a body assembly defining an internal volume and coupled to the chassis, a tailgate pivotally attached to the body assembly and movable between an open position and a closed position to selectively expose the internal volume of the body assembly, a CNG fuel system including a CNG fuel tank coupled to the tailgate and moveable therewith, the engine configured to be powered by the CNG fuel system, at least one of one a non-structural conduit, a non-structural raceway, and a non-structural channel configured to contain at least one of wiring and a hydraulic line, and an impact mitigation system coupled to the tailgate. The impact mitigation system provides a protected region within which the CNG fuel tank is disposed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refuse vehicle, comprising:
a chassis having an engine;
a body assembly defining an internal volume and coupled to the chassis;
a tailgate pivotally attached to the body assembly and movable between an open position and a closed position to selectively expose the internal volume of the body assembly;
a CNG fuel system including a CNG fuel tank coupled to the tailgate and moveable therewith, wherein the engine is configured to be powered by the CNG fuel system;
at least one of one a non-structural conduit, a non-structural raceway, and a non-structural channel configured to contain at least one of wiring and a hydraulic line;
an impact mitigation system coupled to the tailgate and comprising a passive system including a skeleton comprising a plurality of structural frame members positioned to direct impact loads around the CNG fuel tank and into the tailgate, wherein the impact mitigation system provides a protected region within which the CNG fuel tank is disposed; and
a cover coupled to the tailgate, the cover defining an inner space within which the CNG fuel tank is disposed, wherein the skeleton is coupled to the cover and moveable therewith.

2. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the CNG fuel system includes a controller and a shutoff valve configured to selectively restrict a flow of fuel from the CNG fuel system to the engine.

3. The refuse vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the shutoff valve comprises a normally-closed valve configured to be actuated into an open position in response to receiving an actuation signal from the controller.

4. The refuse vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the CNG fuel system includes a pressure sensor positioned along the flow of fuel to monitor a pressure thereof.

5. The refuse vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to terminate transmission of the actuation signal to the shutoff valve such that the shutoff valve restricts the flow of fuel in response the pressure of the flow of fuel falling below a pressure threshold.

6. The refuse vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the CNG fuel system includes at least one temperature sensor positioned to monitor a temperature of at least one of a bay within which the engine is disposed and the internal volume of the body assembly.

7. The refuse vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to terminate transmission of the actuation signal to the shutoff valve such that the shutoff valve restricts the flow of fuel in response to the temperature of the at least one of the bay within which the engine is disposed and the internal volume of the body assembly exceeding a temperature threshold.

8. The refuse vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the normally-closed valve is a normally-closed solenoid valve configured to actuate from a closed position to the open position in response to receiving the actuation signal from the controller.

9. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a shutoff valve coupled to a lower portion of body assembly such that an operator of the refuse vehicle is able to manually isolate the CNG fuel system by engaging the shutoff valve.

10. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the impact mitigation system comprises an active system including at least one sensor positioned to monitor a relative position of the CNG fuel system and an object within a surrounding environment.

11. The refuse vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the active system includes a controller coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller configured to engage one or more vehicle systems to at least one of: (a) avoid an impact, (b) mitigate an impact by reducing a relative velocity between the refuse vehicle and the object, (c) isolate or otherwise disengage the CNG fuel system, and (d) warn an operator of the refuse vehicle of a potential impact in response to data received from the at least one sensor.

12. A fuel system for a vehicle, comprising:
a CNG fuel tank configured to provide fuel to power an engine of the vehicle;
a shutoff valve configured to be positioned along a flow path between the CNG fuel tank and the engine, wherein the shutoff valve is configured to selectively restrict a flow of fuel along the flow path;
a sensor configured to monitor an operating condition of the vehicle including a temperature sensor positioned to monitor a temperature of at least one of the engine and an internal volume of a body of the vehicle; and
a controller coupled to the sensor and the shutoff valve, wherein the controller is configured to at least one of engage and disengage the shutoff valve to restrict the flow of fuel from the CNG fuel tank to the engine in response to the temperature of the at least one of the engine and the internal volume exceeding a temperature threshold.

13. The fuel system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor includes a pressure sensor positioned along the flow path to monitor a pressure of the flow of fuel, wherein the controller is configured to at least one of engage and disengage the shutoff valve such that the shutoff valve restricts the flow of fuel in response the pressure of the fuel falling below a pressure threshold.

14. The fuel system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor includes a proximity sensor positioned to monitor a relative position of the fuel system and an object within a surrounding environment, wherein the controller is configured to at least one of engage and disengage the shutoff valve such that the shutoff valve restricts the flow of fuel in response to the object having a proximity that is closer than a distance threshold.

15. A fuel system for a vehicle, comprising:
a CNG fuel tank configured to provide fuel to power an engine of the vehicle;
a shutoff valve positioned along a flow path between the CNG fuel tank and the engine, wherein the shutoff valve is configured to selectively restrict a flow of fuel along the flow path;
a pressure sensor positioned along the flow path and configured to monitor a pressure of the flow of fuel;
a temperature sensor positioned to monitor a temperature of at least one of the engine and an internal volume of a body of the vehicle; and
a controller coupled to the pressure sensor, the temperature sensor, and the shutoff valve, wherein the controller is configured to:
identify a pressure fault condition in response to the pressure of the fuel falling below a pressure threshold;
at least one of engage and disengage the shutoff valve such that the shutoff valve restricts the flow of fuel in response to the pressure fault condition;
identify a temperature fault condition in response to the temperature of at least one of the engine and the internal volume exceeding a temperature threshold; and
at least one of engage and disengage the shutoff valve such that the shutoff valve restricts the flow of fuel in response to the temperature fault condition.

16. The fuel system of claim 15 , further comprising a proximity sensor positioned to monitor a relative position between the fuel system and an object within a surrounding environment, wherein the controller is configured to at least one of engage and disengage the shutoff valve such that the shutoff valve restricts the flow of fuel in response to the object having a proximity that is closer than a distance threshold.

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Crist Lucas D
• Wildgrube Grant D
• Hoefker Jarud H
• Schwartz Leslie H

Classifications

• B60K2015/03026

  comprising a valve · CPC title

• B60K2015/03381

  for preventing explosions · CPC title

• B60K2015/03309

  Tanks specially adapted for particular fuels · CPC title

• B60K15/013

  of gas conduits · CPC title

• B65F3/00

  Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse (vehicles in general B60; driving vehicle equipment or auxiliaries B60K; discharging contents by tilting entire vehicles B65G; wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10) · CPC title